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Selected:SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Team CharterATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)Expectation Mapping
| Criterion | ![]() Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) | ![]() Facilitation Team Charter | ![]() Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) | ![]() Facilitation Expectation Mapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | When a team is starting fresh or working past each other, Team Charter clarifies the shared working basis. It visibly sets out how collaboration, decision paths, and mutual conduct should work day to day. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. | When roles, interfaces, or projects fail because of differing expectations, Expectation Mapping surfaces these differences. It shows what each side takes for granted and where the pictures diverge. |
Complexitydifferent | High | Medium | High | Low |
Timedifferent | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 2-4 h | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope | 45-90 min |
Participantsdifferent | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 3-12 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders | 3-12 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Team Charter, Working Norms, Role Notes | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations | Expectation Map, Alignment Notes, Agreements |
Tagsno overlap | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | TeamAlignmentCollaboration | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders | AlignmentStakeholdersTeam |



